I'll Be Home For Christmas
by puckerbray
Summary: Alex can't wait to see Nate on Christmas Eve. But when his plane is delayed, she fears he'll miss Christmas. What happens when he suprises her early Christmas morning? Nelena/Nalex. Holiday One-Shot


**It was that time of year again. Her family was having their annual Christmas party. At first, Alex wasn't sure she would even be able to make it, she was attending the University of Alabama, and the snow had been nonstop in New York. After struggling to find a flight, she finally made it into New York Christmas Eve morning. She was so excited for the party. it would be the first time since August that she'd seen her boyfriend of four years, Nate. They had graduated together in 2008 and they went their separate ways when Alex went to pursue her dreams of becoming a journalist and Nate went to LA in hopes of breaking out into the music business. **

**The distance was hard, but they managed to get through it, seeing each other in the summer and during the holidays. Alex sat, bundled up on the porch, reading a book for one of her classes, hoping to see Nate pull into the driveway across the street, where he and his family had resided since she was twelve. **

**It was five o'clock when her mom came out and asked Alex to help her with some things for the party. Alex nodded, and sighed looking at the Grey's empty driveway, but reluctantly followed her mom inside.**

**Friends and Neighbors began to arrive at six thirty, Alex was dressed in her new deep red, strapless, knee length dress that fluffed out at the bottom. She came downstairs and greeted some friends with a hug, and chatted for awhile until she spotted the Grey's at her doorway. She wished her friends a Merry Christmas and scurried over to the Grey's. Her smile dropped when she didn't see Nate following the others inside. **

**She put on a smile and tapped on Nate's mother, Denise's shoulder. She spun around, and grinned when she saw Alex. She swooped in for a big hug and gave her a smooch on the cheek. **

"**Alexandra! It's been so long. How is school going sweetheart?" she said pulling back, and keeping a grip on her shoulders.**

"**It's great." Alex said with a nod, groaning on the inside, because all she really cared about was where Nate was.**

"**Oh, asking about school? I should know you're anxious to see Nate." she said her smile fading a bit. "I'm afraid his flight has been delayed due to the snow in Chicago, where he was laid over. He called and said he'd try hard to make it in by tomorrow, but until then he's stuck in Chicago for the night. He also told me to tell you to call him as soon as you can." She said smiling trying to reassure her. "Oh, and tell you're mother and father that you are all welcome to come over tomorrow for brunch once you've finished exchanging gifts.**

**Alex fiddled with her hands as she looked down, and looked up with a small smile and nod "I'll let them know, even though you'll probably see them before I will." She laughed a little, "I think I'll go call him now. I'll see you later." she waved at her and her husband and the three other boys as well. **

**She went down to the den and picked up the house phone and dialed his cell phone number solemnly.**

"**Merry Christmas baby." he said on his answer, sounding as happy as he could, the background noise making her sigh.**

"**It's not so merry without you here." She said sadly, wrapping the phone cord around her finger, looking at the lighted candle in the dim room. **

"**So you've talked to my mom.. I'm trying my best to find a way there. I can't wait to see you." he said in his soothing voice. **

**She started to tear up, "Me neither." She took in a deep breath, "Do you think you'll be here by morning?"**

"**I hope so. There are a lot of people here, all hoping to get to their families by morning too, but I am keeping my sprit up." he said trying to make her feel better, "Go have a good time, there are a lot of people there that want to see you just as badly as I do. I am coming to see you the second I get home. Okay?" He said sweetly.**

"**Okay." she said softly. "I love you."**

"**I love you too. I'll see you soon."**

"**Bye." she said, a tear rolling down her cheek.**

**He hung up, and she followed suit. She wiped away the tear, and sniffled. She stood up and straightened out her dress and walked back up to the party, holding back tears. She chatted with people here and there, but her mind was elsewhere. A few hours later almost everyone had left, and only the Grey family remained in the kitchen, talking with her parents about Christmas brunch. Alex smiled when she saw Nate's little brother Frankie sleeping on the couch. She covered him carefully with a blanket and walked into the kitchen.**

"**There she is." her mother said throwing an arm over her shoulder, "I feel like I haven't seen you all night."**

**Alex shrugged, "I'm just not feeling the Christmas spirit. I was in the den for a lot of the night."**

**Denise nodded sadly, "Don't worry Alex, he'll be here before you know it."**

"**Well, looks like Frankster clocked out early, we better get him home before Santa comes." Paul, Nate's dad, said with a wink.**

"**Thanks for coming," Theresa said hugging the couple. "We'll see you around 11:30 for lunch." The Russo's said goodbye and the Grey family left. They spent a good hour, cleaning up. By the time they were finished Alex had changed into her pajamas and settled into the couch with her book and some eggnog. **

**Her mother showed up at the top of the stairs in her robe. "Don't stay up too late." she whispered softly.**

"**I won't." She replied, a lie, considering she was a college student, and she was used to going to bed at three and still being able to wake up at eight. "Merry Christmas mom."**

**Her mom smiled and put her hand on the banister, "Merry Christmas Alex." She creaked back up to her room.**

**Alex sat up for awhile, reading and looking out the window every time headlights shown against the wall of the living room. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, the book falling to the floor.**

**---**

"**Merry Christmas." Alex fluttered her eyes open, feeling a light kiss on her cheek. The second she saw the dark curly hair, her face lit up and her arms were wound tightly around Nate's neck.**

"**You made it." she said sleepily, pulling back and looking at his face. He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb.**

"**I just pulled up. I've been on a train since four." **

**She gasped, "So you knew you'd be here all along!"**

**He smiled, "I wanted to surprise you."**

**She smiled and kissed his lips softly, "It doesn't matter. As long as you're home." He smiled at her, kicked off his boots, shrugged off his coat then joined her on the couch. "Shouldn't you be in bed missy? Santa doesn't come unless you're asleep in your bed."**

**She wrapped her arms around his waist. "He already came."**

"**Really?" he looked over at their Christmas tree, "Then how come he didn't leave any presents?" he said turning to her with a big smirk on his face.**

"**All I wanted for Christmas was you." she said with a giggle, "The big guy hasn't let me down yet."**

"**Good use of cheesy Mariah Carey Christmas lyrics." he said laughing, "Well, you've got me, and I have something for you." he reached into his pants pocket, and before she could even look to see what he pulled out she felt cold metal around her ring finger. She looked at Nate in shock and then looked down at the slick silver band with a round, sparkling diamond right smack in the middle of it. He took her hand, and she looked into his eyes with shock.**

**He leans into her ear. "Marry me." he whispers, leaving a kiss on her earlobe.**

**She smiled brightly and nodded, finding no words to express her answer.**

**He laughed and kissed her. "I hope that's a yes."**

**She giggled, "Yes. A million times yes."**

"**Good." he said kissing her cheek. "Sadly, I have to get home," He nodded out the window "The sun will be up soon and Frankie is always up by sunrise, so that means everyone else is too." he laughs and sits up, holding onto her hand. "We'll tell the family tomorrow at brunch."**

"**I love you." She said, still in a daze. She let go of his hand and he pulled his coat and boots back on. He turned to Alex, covered her with a blanket and kissed her. **

"**I love you too." He got up and opened the door to the cool, crisp, Christmas air.**

"**Nate." Alex sat up, and he turned to look at her. "Merry Christmas." she smiled at him and lay her head back on the pillow.**

**He smiled back at her, "Merry Christmas Lexie." He gently closed the door behind him, and she watched as he walked across the street. She looked at the ring on her left hand and smiled. Santa defiantly exceeded her expectations. She laughed at this, and she soon drifted back to sleep just as the sun began to light up the winter sky.**

**---**

**A little one-shot in the sprit of the holidays (= Happy Holidays everyone, and I hope to post more one-shots in the future. Thanks for reading and favoriting. Don't forget to review! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (= May the new decade bring you joy and good health. Hahah, sorry. I sound like an old person =P Let me just finished with. ROCK ON! =D hahaha. Latahhs.**


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